Sleep heals our mind, body, and soul. When your day is packed with work, stress or caring for others, your night needs to be free of night sweats, insomnia, worry and restless legs - common perimenopause/menopause symptoms.
If you are finding yourself suffering from a sleep disorder, you are in good company. The Sleep Foundation estimates up to 47% of perimenopausal and 60% of menopausal women suffer from a sleep disorder. Night sweats are a common cause of disrupted sleep at midlife. Recent studies have shown that even if you experience just a few night sweats each night, your sleep quality can be poor, leaving you dragging and feeling tired the next day. Poor sleep doesn’t just cause you to be tired. It is linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases including high blood pressure and diabetes. Poor sleep also can cause unwanted weight gain at midlife - a battle many midlife women already fight.
Getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night gives your body the time it needs to restore and re-energize itself. Following these simple tips can help you sleep your way to better health at midlife and beyond:
Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol late in the afternoon or evening. While some may find these substances calming or comforting, they actually can lead to poor sleep quality.
Develop a bedtime routine and stick to it. Take a bath, meditate, listen to music, read a book. Whatever activity that decreases your stress is helpful.
Create the ultimate sleeping cave. Keeping your bedroom cool, quiet and dark can help promote sleep. If your feet are cold, try wearing socks instead of turning up the temperature.
Try adding an iron supplement if suffering from restless legs. Restless leg syndrome is bothersome and disruptive from getting a good night’s sleep. Adding an over the counter iron supplement may help improve your symptoms after 3 months. It is generally recommended to check your ferritin level before you begin and 3 months after supplementing with iron to make sure you stay in a healthy range. You can check your ferritin level at mymenopauserx.com without a doctor’s visit!
Treat your night sweats. Night sweats due to hormonal changes are easily treated with a host of FDA approved medications including natural plant based bioidentical hormone therapy, low dose antidepressants and bladder antispasmodics. Treatment is safe and effective for most women. The doctors at MyMenopauseRx are certified menopause specialists and will create a custom treatment plan tailored specifically for you.
Give your body what it craves and deserves each day - rest and time to recharge. Devote yourself to finding better health and wellness by finding restful sleep.
